The Ernestine Line's
Saxon Duchies

When Saxony was partitioned 1485 the electoral dignity went to the main line of the House of Wettin, the Ernestine line. Their territory consisted of half Sachsen-Wittenberg and the landgraviate of Thuringia. 1547 the electoral dignity was lost together with most of Sachsen-Wittenberg to the Albertine line of the house of Wettin. The reduced Ernestine territory would thereafter be divided into several small duchies through a series of partitions 1572-1680 between the different branches of the Ernestine line until there were not less than ten different Ernestine duchies. The numbers of duchies decreased when branches died out but when the monarchies were overthrown in Germany after the First World War there were still four duchies, one of them had become a grand duchy. Together with other small principalities the Ernestine duchies were united into the German state Thüringia, which still exist today.

 The Ernestine Line of the House of Wettin

The following duchies are listed in alphabetical order. The colour of the titles correspond to the image above. To Saxony's main page, read also about the regents of Thuringia before 1485.

To Saxony's main page, read also about the regents of Thuringia before 1485.